Needles
by Lucy Labrador
Summary: The ultimate life form struggled as the needle grew ever so closer to his skin, knowing the pain he'd have to feel when it peirced his flesh, and this was just the first of many.


Chilling air filled the lungs of a dark hedgehog who sat on the moonlit grass. Shivers made surprise attacks on his body, especially his spine. On this cold and dry autumn night, Shadow took some time to himself to think. Everyone else, Sonic, Rouge etc. were having fun at this 'Halloween' party, a tradition that the outsider found very bizarre.

Whistling wind brushed over the hedgehog's body, he wished he'd brought a coat or a blanket with him. His fur was unable to keep him warm as the breeze bristled between each strand, leaving his skin to feel scolded by chills. Determined to go through with his plan of being alone all night, Shadow stayed under the tree, thinking that it would warm up soon.

Another quiver went through his spine, but this time it wasn't because of the cold. Shadow could feel something else, a chilling and sinister presence. The stunned hedgehog looked up to see glowing, sickly green irises glowing ominously between the branches and within the leaves of the tree. "Greetings again… Shadow."

The hedgehog froze at the sound of that voice. "It _can't_ be… you," he choked, The hedgehog closed his eyes tight hoping that it was just a figure of his imagination created by knowing it was Halloween, the very night when things like this were supposed to happen. When Shadow opened his eyes again, the glowing orbs were right in front of him, the body those eyes belonged to was also visible.

Black and dull turquoise fur, a mirror image of himself. The ultimate life form could see that one of his nightmares had just come true; the return of the most unnerving and eerie adversary he had ever come across. Shaking all over, feeling helpless, Shadow shuffled back against the tree as his enemy stood in front of him. "Of all nights Mephiles…" Shadow trembled.

"What's special about tonight?" Mephiles asked with fake interest. "You're not on about that pathetic human holiday, are you?" Shadow nodded his head urgently. "There is absolutely no connection between that daft tradition and my visit," Shadow felt a little less anxious. "I would torment you _any_ day."

Shadow stood up and attempted to run, but a flash of purple and a push against the tree proved this to be impossible. Mephiles, who had just changed into his crystallised form and had Shadow pinned to the trunk of the tree with his hands. The clawed fingers digging into the struggling hedgehog's skin. Shadow's eyes widened in pain and shock. "What does that remind you of hedgehog?" Mephiles breathed eerily and pushed the tip of his sharply pointed index finger into Shadow's flesh. "Well?"

"No… I'm not going to remember it. I can't, I don't want to remember it," Shadow panicked and shut his eyes tight. He stood still and tried his best to think of something else, anything but those awful memories of his past. The pain meant nothing to him, it was the all too familiar feeling that reminded him of those times. Sensing the flashbacks develop in his mind, Shadow began to struggle again, he would do anything to escape the hell he was about to experience. "No!"

* * *

The smell of metal and sterile fabrics filled Shadow's snout. Hearing the tapping of shoes upon metallic floors he turned to the source of a noise. Entering the room, was a male wearing a pure white lab coat, following him were his assistants. Shadow looked down to realise he was sitting on a chair at the middle of this room full of medical and scientific equipment. "Gerald isn't here today Project SHADOW, so I'm in charge of the tests today," the man said sinisterly, a slight smirk crept upon his face.

Shadow gave a start as hands gripped around his wrists, two of the assistants were holding the startled hedgehog still. "Where's Maria… I need her," the young Shadow trembled. He always relied on his female companion to comfort him while painful experiments were performed on him.

"Also away," the man said simply, he was holding a needle. "You've been a thorn in my side for too long, hedgehog, always asking to be exempt from these important tests which are part of the research," he complained as he walked closer to the terrified hedgehog. "Well, there is no one here today that can save you."

"I don't want to do this! I hate needles!" Shadow struggled frantically, the two assistants held him, still cringing at the fact that an innocent creature was about to be poked and prodded by the very thing he feared. Although, not wanting to lose their jobs, they held the panicking hedgehog still as their boss drew closer and prodded Shadow's arm. "No!"

Despite Shadow's cries asking for mercy, he was prodded in all places possible. The thin, sharp spine cutting through his skin and flesh slowly and painfully, drawing blood in some spots.

After ten minutes of injections Shadow had tears streaming down his cheeks. "Please… make it stop," he begged while breathing raggedly.

"One… last… injection," the scientist said in concentration and aimed his abnormally long needle for Shadow's stomach. All the poor hedgehog could do was cry and choke in agony as the needle pierced the sensitive area.

"No!"

* * *

Shadow's eyes flashed open, he realised that flash back was over but he was still in agony. Looking down he saw green blood oozing out of his body, there were hundreds of little metallic spines poking out of the whole of his torso, arms and legs, including his stomach. He took in another ragged and deep breath then a shrilling cry flew over the city that was just half a mile away.

**Lucy Labrador**


End file.
